Byron Janis studied with Vladimir Horowitz and was world-renowed by his mid-20s. Besides his entire discography on RCA with Bach, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Gershwin et al., this set features new releases of Pictures at an Exhibition and Schumann's Piano Concerto, Rachmaninov's Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 3, dynamic performances of works by Liszt (including Paraphrase de concert sur Rigoletto), and a biographical film by Peter Rosen.

"Those who have been turned on to 'Rach Three' by the movie Shine will find an excellent performance … still fresh and finely detailed in sound and reissued at a reduced price…. Janis is properly brilliant and moody, interacting with the Boston Symphony and conductor Charles Munch. The Chicago Symphony is conducted by Fritz Reiner in the fine performance of Concerto No. 1."—Joseph McLellan, Washington Post

"Janis had something of the Horowitz mystique, some of the Horowitz tension, and some of the poetry. Nor was it only imitative playing; Janis had his own sound, supported by a large and finely chiseled technical equipment, and he did some exciting, even breathtaking work; his Rachmaninov First and Third Concerti and his Liszt Totentanz and two concerti sizzle with electricity."—David Dubal, The Art of the Piano